Running a PCI-E x8 in X1

m00ch0 · 6 Mar 2014 at 18:33

Let me just start off by saying the title is wrong.

I recently bought a Asus Rampage IV Extreme Intel X79

PCI-E Slots that are on this board are as follows:

1 - PCIe 3.0 x16_1 - Radeon 7970HD
2 - PCIe 3.0 x8_2A - Empty
3 - PCIe 3.0 x8_2B - Empty
4 - PCIe 3.0 x16/8_3 -Empty
5 - PCIe 2.0 x1_1 - Network Card
6 - PCIe 3.0 x8_4- Empty

My problem is that this board only has 1 x1 PCI-E Slot and I have 2 needs for this.

1 - Asus PCE AC68 Wireless PCIE Card

2 - Creative Sound Blaster Z

I Believe that you can use a PCIe x1 device in a x4, x8 or x16 but I try and install the drivers and it says "Setup unable to detect a supported product on your system.

What am I doing wrong and what can I do to get this sound card working?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edit - Rewritten in the hope that it makes more sence

m00ch0 · 10 Mar 2014 at 11:13

Anyone know anything about this? I'll take any advice going at the moment!

Just noticed the title being wrong I want to run a PCI-E x1 in a x8 (damn it)

Ripshod · 10 Mar 2014 at 15:28

Shouldn't have a problem doing that. My PCI-e 1x sound card lives quite comfortably in an 8x slot.

Saw the title and I thought no way (physically impossible). General rule is if it physically fits without a hammer then it'll work.

m00ch0 · 10 Mar 2014 at 16:36

Thanks Ripshod at least I know its possible was starting to dout it.

For some reason, I cant get it to detect my sound card or my wifi card when I move them into an x8 slot but they work fine in the x4

Any ideas?

lee32uk · 10 Mar 2014 at 16:53

I would just try different combinations of slots. Try the sound card in one of the red slots, or the other black slot. You could even try it in the top slot and put the gpu in the 2nd red slot as you will still get x16.

m00ch0 · 10 Mar 2014 at 17:38

I've already tried all different Slots & combinations (wifi & Soundcard) and moved the GPU to the a different x16 and still cant detect the sound card or wifi in any others.

I've also tried changing the generation on each slot to 1, 2, 3 to see if that makes a difference but still nothing.

I'm a bit stuck at the moment.

lee32uk · 11 Mar 2014 at 00:50

Why don't you ditch the wireless card and get a powerline adapter, or a USB wireless adapter ?

m00ch0 · 11 Mar 2014 at 13:35

I originally had Belkin power line adapter's, I found them to be pretty useless and limit my connection far too much.